Tape cassettes can be a part of systems for measuring analyte concentrations in body fluid. Systems of this type are needed, for example, by diabetics who have to measure the glucose content of a sample of body fluid, typically blood and/or interstitial fluid, several times daily. Lactate or hemoglobin concentrations, for example, are other analyte concentrations that can be measured with systems of this type.
A carrier tape of such tape cassettes can carry test elements, for example test fields with detection reagents, and/or puncturing elements as functional elements. In the case of tape cassettes designed for devices that are strictly measuring devices, the carrier tape carries only one type of functional elements, namely test elements. Likewise, only a single type of functional elements, namely puncturing elements, is arranged on the carrier tape of a tape cassette for a system that is strictly a puncturing system. In the case of integrated measuring and puncturing devices, two types of functional elements can be arranged on a carrier tape, namely test elements as first type and puncturing element as second type. Moreover, in the case of tape cassettes for integrated measuring and puncturing devices it is also feasible to arrange only a single type of functional elements on the carrier tape, namely puncturing elements with integrated test elements.
One advantage of tape cassettes is that a very large number of functional elements, for example 50 or even more test elements, can be arranged on a carrier tape that is reeled up in the tape cassette. However, further improvements in this technological area are needed.